Despite the San Antonio Spurs extinguishing the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Game 3 hopes with a 115-108 win on Friday night, Julius Randle’s dunk on Victor Wembanyama during the second quarter became a talking point.
The Timberwolves entered the Target Center desperate to get over the agony of a 133-95 Game 2 rout by the Spurs, and Randle’s aggressive play over Wembanyama set the tone for a crucial matchup.
Julius Randle Grabs the Limelight With Game 3 Poster Dunk on Victor Wembanyama
The sequence unfolded early in the second quarter, with Randle absorbing the midair impact from Wembanyama and delivering a left-handed strike through the net.
JULIUS RANDLE ATTACKS THE RIM AND THROWS IT DOWN!
A POWERFUL SLAM IN GAME 3 💥 pic.twitter.com/LgZLWhq13M
— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2026
It was rare to see Wemby not come out victorious at the rim, and social media was quick to react, with one user remarking, “Dude this was so nasty 😭😭😭.”
“JULIUS RANDLE POSTER ON VICTOR WEMBANYAMA. RISE UP,” HoopCentral posted.
JULIUS RANDLE POSTER ON VICTOR WEMBANYAMA
RISE UP. pic.twitter.com/Y1yv8Dwfwd
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 9, 2026
“bro was plotting 😭😭,” one user commented.
bro was plotting 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/gL1GNuMsER
— CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) May 9, 2026
“Kyden Randle with an epic reaction to his dad’s big-time jam in Game 3 🤯🥹,” NBA posted, highlighting the moment.
Kyden Randle with an epic reaction to his dad’s big-time jam in Game 3 🤯🥹 https://t.co/tnc9QFSZS4 pic.twitter.com/dNNdKdjECM
— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2026
“AI Slop,” another user sarcastically wrote.
One user hilariously posted, “WARNING⚠️ANY VIDEOS OF JULIUS RANDLE DUNKING ON VICTOR WEMBANYAMA ARE FAKE AND ARE MADE WITH AI!!!! PLEASE IF YOU SEE ANY OF THEM REPORT THEM IMMEDIATELY… THANK YOU❤️”
The opening quarter of Game 3 felt like a continuation from Minnesota’s Game 2 disappointment, with Wembanyama joining Tim Duncan in another playoff milestone.
Victor Wembanyama joins Tim Duncan (4) as the only players in Spurs Franchise History with the following numbers in the 1st Quarter of a Playoff Game in the play-by-play era:
• 9+ PTS
• 5+ REB
• 2+ BLK pic.twitter.com/9hnwZ2Y4mI— Kalshi Hoops (@KalshiHoops) May 9, 2026
The Timberwolves’ offense was stuck in the mud, struggling to create clean looks against the Spurs and scoring just 1 point 7 minutes into the tip-off.
That was until Anthony Edwards sparked some life into the Timberwolves just before the quarter ended, as his 12-point surge helped them end the first quarter trailing by 1 point.
After making a surprisingly quick return from injury to start the series, the four-time All-Star continued to shine for Minnesota, ending the night with a team-high 32 points and 14 rebounds while going 12-of-26 from the floor.
Ant in Game 3 vs San Antonio:
32 PTS
14 REB
6 ASTNot enough. pic.twitter.com/awckf6WFJr
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 9, 2026
Meanwhile, Randle had a quiet night besides the poster dunk, recording 12 points and 6 rebounds while going 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
For the Spurs, it was the Wembanyama show yet again, as the 22-year-old finished with a 39-point, 15-rebound night as they grabbed control of the Western Conference semifinals ahead of Sunday’s Game 4 matchup.
